HELP oust local officials with links to illegal drugs by voting for the right candidates in the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in May.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government made the appeal to the public on Saturday, saying that the elections is the right opportunity to weed out corrupt, incompetent officials, as well as those with links to illegal drugs.
“This is the reason why we are urging the public to vote for candidates who are actively fighting the war against drugs in the barangay level,” DILG spokesman and assistant secretary Jonathan Malaya said Saturday in a statement.
Malaya made the remark after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported that a total of 289 barangay officials are on the “narco list” of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Should there be evidence against incumbent barangay officials, DILG OIC-Secretary Eduardo Año has directed the PNP to do case buildup so that the necessary charges can be filed against them without delay,” Malaya said.
But the DILG said it is PDEA’s call whether to release in public the names of the barangay officials included in the narco list.
The PDEA was tasked to prepare the narco list, even as the DILG and its attached agencies provide information on the drug personalities and activities for PDEA’s verification.
“The DILG, through the PNP, has been proactive in supporting PDEA in the war against illegal drugs. The public knows that the PNP has been going after drug personalities whether they be public officials or private individuals. The DILG will not waver in its commitment to end the menace of illegal drugs in our country and we will provide all the support needed by PDEA,” Malaya added.